Football: Striker Martial keeps United's hopes alive after Payet masterpiece

Manchester United's French striker Anthony Martial (2nd right) gets in front of West Ham United's Senegalese striker Diafra Sakho (right) to score their first goal during the English FA Cup quarter final football match between Manchester United and West Ham United on March 13, 2016. PHOTO: AFP

OLD TRAFFORD (Reuters) - Manchester United striker Anthony Martial kept their FA Cup hopes alive when he struck eight minutes from time to salvage a 1-1 draw with West Ham United in Sunday's (March 13) quarter-final tie at Old Trafford.

West Ham playmaker Dimitri Payet looked to be sending the 11-times Cup winners tumbling out of the competition with a wondrous, curling free kick in the 68th minute.

But with time running out, United's young French starlet Martial hooked Ander Herrera's cross back into the net from the narrowest of angles.

Just like holders Arsenal's exit earlier on Sunday in a 2-1 home defeat by Watford that heaped more pressure on manager Arsene Wenger, a United exit would have raised more questions about the future of boss Louis van Gaal.

With United 2-0 down from the first leg of their Europa League last 16 tie against Liverpool and 13 points adrift of Leicester City in the Premier League title race, Martial's strike has offered blessed relief for Van Gaal.

United will now have a replay at what will be the last Cup tie to be staged at West Ham's Boleyn Ground in the Londoners' final season there before they move to the Olympic Stadium.

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